Michoacan coast is a Nahua Indigenous Territory for centuries. Roughness, Indigenous tradition and social conflicts have maintained low human activity for a long time. Road construction, cattle breeding, agricultural, and timber activities are reduced, but poverty is high too. This area remained little known on wildlife ecology and limited research have been done. We consider that Nahua Indigenous Territory offers a good chance to protect an important refuge to jaguars and the tropical dry forest based on local community participation.

The Michoacan coast, despite its a beautiful and interesting places, abundant natural resources and traditions (Nahua language is the mother language) there is not a Natural Protected Area. In the close future, if we don’t take actions soon primary forest will be destroyed. Jaguars is a charismatic and will be with the sea turtle (this community is recognized by Black Sea Turtle Program) the emblematic species for a general conservation program. Jaguar habitat is reducing and fragmenting, and a biological corridors are essential. The “Western Jaguar Corridor” is a proposition to link natural reserves in the west coast of Mexico (Nayarit, Jalisco and Michoacan) to protect the jaguar and its habitat. A natural reserve in Michoacan coast (there is not anyone) will enforce jaguar conservation at the southern proposed corridor.

The main goal of this study is evaluate jaguar population abundance and distribution, social perceptions toward its conservation and the conflict with livestock in the Nahua Indigenous Community. Besides I considered that the Nahua Community territory may offer a good chance to establishment a communitarian natural reserve.

Major activities include:

a) Interviews and presentations to local inhabits,

b) Tracks survey to record jaguar presence,

c) Camera trapping to evaluate jaguar abundance,

d). Data and GIS spatial analysis for habitat preference.

With Support of National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and Michoacan Estate Government we have agreed to support us to promote a communitarian protected are for jaguars and other species conservation. Michoacan government compromised to support local community with necessary productive projects for jaguar conservation. We expect that at the end of 2007 a certified protected area will be established.